Chapter 69

Level Up IlDanSimPanGwan – Episode 69 (69/227)

Episode 69: The Beginning is Half the Battle (2)

“Wow, the reaction is insane…”

Ail, who had been staring at his personal screen, was sweating bullets.

The views on the video he’d personally uploaded were skyrocketing, and community sites were absolutely buzzing.

Clearly, the response was far better than Ail had anticipated.

While the competition was still fierce, the Six Major Guilds had entered a lull, and the rankings of top Rankers had stabilized without much fluctuation.

Moreover, this was a time when no standout rookies had emerged. The appearance of a skilled player with a fresh concept drew the attention of many who were thirsty for something new.

It was a perfect storm of skill, concept, timing, and luck.

‘Seems like nobody noticed, so my acting must be decent enough.’

For this video, Ail fully committed to playing the eerie Inquisitor role people had imagined in their heads.

Chanting prayers while mercilessly slicing through monsters, he portrayed a cold-blooded fanatic.

It wasn’t just about gaming concepts; he had to look like someone who genuinely worshipped Lu with fervor.

And the result? Explosive reactions from the audience.

Thankfully, since he lacked confidence in his acting, going for a stoic approach helped mask any awkwardness.

‘Good call hiding my face too.’

Using Warode’s built-in screen distortion feature, Ail made sure his face didn’t appear in the footage. Unlike simple mosaics, this function made facial recognition impossible while keeping the visuals natural, allowing him to conceal his identity without compromising video quality.

Additionally, Ail deliberately hid important skills he possessed—not just his face.

While he did aim for fame, recklessly revealing core Apostle skills or powerful moves like One Slash could expose his capabilities to potential opponents early on.

Even famous Rankers who frequently appeared in media tried to keep some key skills hidden, and Ail was no exception.

That said, he didn’t hold back entirely—he poured resources into potions and hunted with full dedication.

Moreover, the video he uploaded wasn’t raw gameplay but an edited highlight reel featuring skips and perspective changes.

This kind of highlight editing naturally made one appear stronger than they might actually be. Combined with Ail’s already impressive skills, it was a recipe for grabbing eyeballs instantly.

‘Didn’t expect my old hobby of making videos would come in handy like this.’

Back in school, Ail was already among the top-tier players in various online games.

After achieving first place in the arena season rankings during his debut game as a Ranker, he commemorated the occasion by creating a PVP highlights video, sparking his interest in video editing.

Thanks to his sharp gaming sense and flashy playstyle, he gained a solid fanbase, and his editing skills improved over time, allowing him to produce high-quality content effortlessly now.

Still, despite his growth, he planned to hire professionals for future videos starting next time.

‘Not that I was banking on ad revenue…but this level of success will definitely bring in some cash.’

Having just launched his channel and uploaded only one video, the rapidly climbing view count was surprising.

If this trend continued, even occasional uploads could generate significant ad revenue.

He hadn’t expected such immediate success.

[“Light Judge Lu” has sponsored you.]

[Goddess Favor +1.35% (Current: 58.42%)]

[Light Church Contribution +700]

[Sponsored item received.]

[Holy Water (Common) x 5]

“Huh…?”

Startled by the sudden messages, Ail stared blankly.

The highest contribution increase yet, plus a direct item sponsorship—five Holy Waters, which were highly useful consumables exclusive to the Light Church. Given their hefty contribution cost, Ail hadn’t purchased any himself until now.

Thinking of buying one anyway, this unexpected windfall felt like hitting the jackpot.

‘Judging by how things are going lately, maybe the influence flow is stabilizing again…’

She had been struggling with managing her influence after waking up and creating the Apostle, but it seemed different now compared to before.

[“Light Judge Lu” looks at you approvingly.]

As expected, Lu was thoroughly satisfied with Ail’s recent performance.

With more users curious about joining the Church or exploring its exclusive classes, this naturally aligned with her goals of expanding the Church’s influence.

Every time Ail, playing the fanatic, gained fame, it inevitably increased public interest in the Light Church.

While Ail couldn’t tell exactly how much impact this had on divine levels, it was clear she had indirect ways to gauge external opinions within Warode.

‘Does she monitor the internet directly, or does she rely on eavesdropping among Warode users…?’

[“Light Judge Lu” expresses dissatisfaction!]

“Hm…?”

While Ail was lost in thought, another message popped up from Lu.

Switching abruptly from approval to dissatisfaction left Ail momentarily confused as he read the additional text below.

‘Disappointed in my lack of sincerity?’

Apparently, taking the Goddess’s blessings for granted wasn’t appreciated.

In short, she wanted more enthusiastic reactions—maybe even prostrations. Chuckling softly, Ail offered a heartfelt prayer of gratitude.

Regardless of being inside a game, the fact remained that she had rescued him from certain doom, and he genuinely harbored gratitude.

[“Light Judge Lu” turns away with a disapproving expression.]

[A Goddess’s heart isn’t easily swayed!]

‘Guess I messed up there…’

Slightly squinting, Ail pondered internally.

He thought it would blow over quickly, but her reaction was unexpected.

Maybe he’d grown complacent thinking he was her sole Apostle…

[Contribution received.]

[Light Church Contribution +30]

‘Of course, this is how it always ends.’

Ail barely suppressed a chuckle.

“Ahem, alright.”

After finishing his prayer, Ail checked his status window.

Through hunting in the wilderness, he finally leveled up to Level 30—a milestone marking the end of rookie territory and granting access to a third skill.

However, his skill slots remained empty.

Although he had three skill books from defeating bosses, none met his standards in either grade or performance.

Compromising on subpar skills wasn’t an option for Ail, so he passed on all three.

‘First priority is acquiring better skills.’

Should he continue farming local boss monsters for skill books, or move elsewhere for higher-tier ones?

Caw-caw!

At that moment, a white crow swooped low between the trees and approached Ail.

Perching on his arm with a flutter of wings, it extended its leg tied with parchment, prompting a smile from Ail.

“A messenger from the White Forest…”

* * *

“So you said ‘soon,’ but when do you plan to kill him? Because of your incompetence, I got retaliated against and died!”

Beken yelled angrily.

On the other end of the phone, however, came a calm voice contrasting sharply with Beken’s agitation.

“We apologize for that. The target’s abilities exceeded our expectations.”

Ganei, branch manager of Esmaier’s Amaranth Guild, admitted their failure to handle the situation properly due to underestimating the target.

But the deceased client wasn’t satisfied with mere explanations and apologies.

“You useless bastards! Supposedly the top contract guild in Warode, yet you can’t take down a low-level player? And I paid twice because of this!”

Beken shouted furiously, his face turning red.

Yet Ganei remained unfazed, maintaining his mechanical calm tone.

“We acknowledge our mistake. After withdrawing the original team, we intended to refund the second payment and send elite reinforcements… if everything had gone according to plan.”

“According to plan?”

“The guy has ties to the Nightmare Guild.”

“What?”

Even Beken hesitated briefly upon hearing “Nightmare.”

But he quickly shook his head, desperately denying it.

“No way! That’s ridiculous nonsense!”

One of the Six Great Guilds…

Even well-known mid-sized guilds like White Panther dared not challenge Nightmare, the colossal powerhouse.

Ail couldn’t possibly have connections to such a giant—just some hot-headed newbie flaunting temporary bravado, Beken insisted to himself, fiercely rejecting reality.

Then Ganei’s words cut through his chaotic thoughts.

“Though apparently, they aren’t close acquaintances. It’s certain the guy doesn’t have deep cooperation with Nightmare—if he did, we wouldn’t have gotten this far unscathed.”

“Well then, when…”

“But since a Nightmare guild member is directly involved, we’re stepping back.”

“Wait… what?”

Beken gaped, doubting his own ears.

“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten the agreed terms mentioned beforehand? If the target is affiliated with any of the Six Great Guilds, the contract is automatically canceled. We’ll still refund the remaining funds after deducting penalties.”

“What… what nonsense is this?! Just because of one guild member? If money matters, I’ll offer several times more! Just finish off that guy!!”

Beken raged uncontrollably.

His spittle nearly swallowed the receiver as he screamed wildly.

Unlike earlier when he patiently listened to Beken’s complaints, Ganei now spoke sternly.

“Listen, let me give you some advice. This line of work carries great risks. We meddle in others’ affairs for pay, but occasionally run into members of major guilds, causing serious losses and headaches for cleanup. And if you cross someone truly formidable… yesterday’s thriving guild can vanish overnight without a trace. Know what I mean?”

Beken involuntarily shut his mouth at this unexpected change in tone.

“So how has Amaranth managed to survive across Warode and operate for a year without issues? By adhering to one crucial rule: never tread into the territory of the Six Great Guilds. Even minor associations matter. Understand now?”

“That’s absurd…!”

“There’s nothing more to discuss. If you want to proceed, find another guild. Talking to imbeciles wasting everyone’s time isn’t productive.”

Click!

The call ended.

Like a petrified statue, Beken stood frozen, his arm trembling.

His older brother, the Guild Master of White Panther, refused his plea citing guild policies, and now even Amaranth, supposedly the best in contract work, turned him down.

This was unprecedented for Beken, who had always acted superior.

Finally realizing he could do nothing against Ail, who had killed him earlier, Beken exploded in rage.

“AAAAAAAAAGH!!!”